Thai court dismisses detention challenge by Chinese reporter

A Thai court on Friday dismissed a legal challenge from Chinese journalist Bai Zhaodong, who has been detained in Bangkok for over a month. This came a day after authorities initiated proceedings to extradite him to China, according to his lawyer Nadthasiri Bergman. Bai, who is recognized as a refugee by the United Nations, arrived in Thailand from China in 2023.

He had been held at an immigration detention center since January 2025, having filed a petition against what he claims was unlawful detention by Thai authorities. On Thursday, Thai prosecutors arrested Bai on an extradition warrant from Beijing, transferring him to a remand prison.

During a hearing on Friday morning, Bangkok South Criminal Court rejected Bai's challenge to his detention, stating that it was necessary due to the extradition request from China. This came despite widespread criticism from rights groups, who argue that if Bai were returned to China, his life could be at risk due to the persecution he faces for his work exposing government corruption over two decades.

Reporters Without Borders and Human Rights Watch have both called the extradition move "deeply troubling" and "scandalous," respectively, questioning Thailand's compliance with international legal principles such as non-refoulement, which prohibits sending individuals back to places where their lives or freedom are in danger. China’s foreign ministry had previously labeled Bai as a suspect in extortion and bribery, and an extradition request was submitted to Thailand in July 2025.